Sound Out

When outsourcing might make sense

Outsourcing your IT functions does not have to be an all or nothing proposition. Smaller organizations without the dedicated staff look to managed services companies to handle their production data, while larger organizations may choose just one or two applications. Outsourcing email, for example is a growing trend among businesses of all sizes. Depending on your organization, IT outsourcing can bring some immediate benefits worthy of consideration.

For those who say, the cloud isn’t for them,

Cost: While outsourcing some or all of your IT doesn’t always save money, it can offer a predictable yearly cost. For some companies, particularly organizations without a large technical staff, the ability to budget for one yearly fee offers significant advantages. Hiring and training additional IT staff is often costly and for many businesses it makes more sense to train new staff on their core business rather than technology functions.

Scale: Organizations are always challenged when adding applications or bringing on a new line of business. A good outsourced IT company can very quickly bring up the resources needed to accommodate your growth and the costs of the additional processing and storage are clearly defined up front.

Risk Reduction: Security issues continue to plague businesses of all sizes and it can be a full time job to try and keep your data protected. A good services provider takes on the job of security. They are responsible for implementing the firewalls, malware protection and backup services that have traditionally been handled in house.

Availability: For businesses with applications that must be available 24/7, but lack the round the clock resources, an outsourced model may be worth considering. For a predictable monthly fee that reflects your SLAs, you can rest easy that your data will always be available…even if your staff is not.

If you decide to explore an outsourced option, make sure the provider has experience, understands your SLA’s and has the ability to meet them. Plan to first test one or two applications in the cloud rather than your entire infrastructure. Finally, consider hiring a knowledgeable consultant to help with your migration so you can be confident of the outcome.

About the author

As President and CEO of Radiant Resources, I lead an IT team that is focused on partnerships...with our clients, between our suppliers and among our staff. For over 21 years, we have looked at your business as our business. We take the time to learn about your issues, your tolerance for risk and your expected outcome before we ever bring a technology solution forward. We are as invested in your success as you are. Member Womens Presidents Organization (WPO), Member Certifications Committee WBENC, Member NJ Tech Council,Winner 2011 Women of the Channel Award, Graduate Tuck School of Business WBENC Executive Program and Mayor, Borough of Spring Lake, NJ